Repairing a garbage disposal is surprisingly easy to do yourself. If, when you turn on the disposal, you hear the unit hum but the disposal does not run properly, this usually means the unit is jammed.
Always turn off the power to the unit before beginning any work. Under the sink, fit a hex-wrench into the hub nut at the very bottom center of the disposal. Crank it back and forth to break loose any material that is jamming the unit from inside. Run some water in the sink, and turn the power on to try running the disposal again.
If the garbage disposal still doesn't work, turn the power off, go back under the sink, and press the small red RESET button on the bottom of the unit. Then try it again.
Garbage disposals are most commonly jammed by sticky or starchy material such as rice, or hard and fibrous vegetables, such as celery or broccoli stems. Avoid putting large amounts of such materials down the sink drain to prevent problems from arising.
For more about garbage disposal problems, see:
